Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-04-29
UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION.

UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION.
That unrestricted immigration is one
of the crying evils of our present
National situation, goes without saying.
Under the existing condition of affairs
the Atlantic ocean is but vast sewer by
means of which the foul contents of
the slums of Europe are drained
upon the shores of the United States.
Much theoretical talk is indulged in
about the loss daily sustained by the
despotisms of Europe from emigration
to the United States. This is the veriest
bosh. immigration, as now practiced a,
strengthens, instead of weakening the
despotic powers of Europe. Immigration
to the United States has the active con-
nivance, if not the open support OF
European rulers. They are. in fact ex-
patriating the most dangerous classes of
their subjects. They are daily
foistlng upon US the most
turbulent elements of European
population. Anarchists, Socialists, lev
ellers and law-breakers of all descriptions
daily crowd the emigrant ships leaving
European ports for the American shores.
The United States is fast drifting to the
unenViable position of a European penal
colony. The influence of unrestricted
immigration has already criminally as
serted itself. and that criminal asser-
ton is daily growing more blatant
and dangerous. If the evil is not
speedily and promptly corrected, the un-
fortunate results to the country can
scarcely be calculated. The issue appeals
directly and loudly to the labor interests
of the Nation, and yet the so-called
Labor party is perfectly inert in the mat
ter. The cause of this apathy is easily
found. The alleged Labor party is
already inoculated with the poison
which unrestricted immigration has
brought to America. If Socialistic
tendencies are not entirely paramount in
the organization they are sufficiently
strong to shape the party policy of mac
ton. Every ship'oad of immigrants dis
embarked at our Atlantic ports gives an
added impulse to these Socialistic tenden-
cies of alleged labor. 1t is not hard to
perceive that giant for evil is rapidly
approaching maturity in our midst.
Under the head of Pressing for Solu-
ton" the influential Denuer NeaUs refers
as follows to this crying evil, and its only
remedy:
The action of the Wisconsin Legislature
In dismissing its board of immigration and
adopting resolutions in favor of restrictions
upon the Inflow of foreigners is more than
suggestive, coming as it does from State
whose population is largely made up of for
elgners, and IN districts of which, along the
lines of some of the railroads, the English
language is the exception rather than the
rule. 1t gives point to the statement set
forth in this paper some time ago, that one
OF the live issues of the near future will be
restricted as opposed to unlimited immipra-
ton. In other words, this will be eyery-
body's land in modified sense, because not
only the natives of the soil but the foreign
ers already located here will be forced to
consider the interests of the nation. and, in
doing so, the matter of closing the ports to
the undesirable classes from other nations
those whose emigration is encouraged if not |
forced by their respective governments will |
push itself to the front for solution. We |
say this entirely irrespective of any plat |
form which the so-called American party |
may have adopted, because the issue at |
stake is much wider than that party, and |
because it is evident from the nature of the |
action taken in Wisconsin that all parties |
were in favor of its adoption as a means of |
relief from over competition in certain |
directions, which evil was encouraged by the !
desire of certain corporations to rapidly |
dispose of their lands.
Why the Labor advocates do not make |
common cause in restricting immigration is
not easily seen, unless apathy on this sub
lect Is traced to the Socialistic element in
the Labor party, which, as a matter of |
course, depends for its growth and possible
performance upon unrestricted immigra-
tlon, encouraged abroad and not hampered
In the least upon our shores.
The principle of protection, which applies
thoroughly In this country to the products
Of labor, has been gingerly extended to
labor itself, as though the application of the
rule IN the one case were legitimate, while
~ the other it formed an obvious departure.
Inc present Democratic Administration has
the Democratic acts of Congress
against Chinese and contract labor-but this
s as far as the law now permits it to 90.
IN the near future National board of i'm
migration commissioners will be in order,
whose duty it should be to take special
'harge OF this subject, in all its phases, and
ion which the evil demands.